Team USA ended Team Canada’s five-year championship run at the World Junior Championships last night, beating les Canadians 6-5 in an overtime thriller. Captain, and Rangers second-round pick in 2008, Derek Stepan contributed a goal and an assist in the third period, and was a part of the three-on-one rush that generated the OT winner. Stepan also led the tournament in scoring, putting up a line of 4-10-14 in just 7 GP. Chris Kreider, the Rangers first-round pick in 2009, scored the first goal of the game for Team USA in the first, and had a team lead . Ryan Bourque (3rd, 2009) contributed an assist in the first period while playing a sound defensive game.
It was the first time a Rangers prospect led the tournament in scoring since Doug Weight in 1991. The future looks bright for the Rangers, Stepan and Kreider look like the real deal.
Team USA, sporting Rangers prospects Derek Stepan, Chris Kreider, and Ryan Bourque, advanced to the World Junior Championship Semi-Finals, routing Finland 6-2. Stepan contributed two assists and Kreider a goal in the victory. Team USA will face off against Sweden in the semi-finals. Stepan, captain of Team USA, leads all scorers in the tournament.
Team USA lost its first game at the World Junior Championships last night, falling to Canada 5-4 in a shootout. Rangers prospects Derek Stepan (one assist) and Chris Kreider showed tremendous skill and skating ability during the game. I have been very high on Stepan since the Rangers drafted him, but Kreider is the one that is starting to turn heads. His skill set is there, and now he is putting it together against some tough competition.
Kreider and Ryan Bourque was held off the score sheet during the loss.
Roman Horak, playing for the Czech U20 team, contributed an assist in the Czech Republic’s 5-2 loss last night, eliminating them from the competition.
The USA U20 World Junior Team, sporting Rangers prospects Chris Kreider, Derek Stepan, and Ryan Bourque, absolutely dominated Latvia last night, winning 12-1. The three Rangers prospects combined for eight points in the rout. Stepan, captain of Team USA, chipped in two goals and two assists, Kreider had a hat trick, and Bourque added an assist.
It is great to see that Stepan is not only dominating play, but the team captain as well. This pick may very well be one of the greatest steals of the 2008 draft. Who else came from the 2008 draft? Michael Del Zotto. I say management did a good job thus far with that draft.
When the Rangers selected Kreider, it was met with mixed reaction. There was no denying the skill, but Kreider hadn’t played with tough competition at that point. Now, with Kreider scoring at the World Junior level, some of those doubters (including myself) have been silenced for now.
The U20 Team USA increased their record to 2-0 last night, beating the Swiss 3-0. Two Ranger prospects again impressed during the victory, as Chris Kreider netted the eventual game winner, with Derek Stepan picking up an assist on the goal. Ryan Bourque picked up his first point of the tournament, an assist, on the second goal of the game.
The Rangers have a fourth prospect participating in the tournament. Roman Horak (2009, 5th round), playing for the Czech Republic, netted his first goal of the tournament in a 4-3 loss to Finland. The Czech team is 0-2 thus far.
Team USA got off to a great start in the World Junior Championships yesterday, downing Slovakia 7-3 in the opener. Team USA was down 2-0 early, but tallied four goals in a row en route to the rout.
Rangers 2008 second round draft pick Derek Stepan had a big game, netting a goal, two assists, and a plus-4 rating. Chris Kreider, the Rangers 2009 first round pick, also hit the score sheet with an assist and a plus-1.
Ryan Bourque (2009, third round) also played a solid game, finishing with a plus-1 rating.
The Rangers will be heavily represented on Team USA for the IIHF World Junior Championships in December / January. Three prospects will be joining Team USA: Chris Kreider (1st, 2009), Ryan Bourque (3rd, 2009) and Derek Stepan (2nd, 2008).
Although Kreider is struggling a little bit in college, it is a great sign that he was selected to be on this team. The pick of Kreider last June wasn’t meant to pay dividends until at least 3-4 years down the road, and this is one of those steps in a positive direction.
As for Bourque and Stepan, well they are both putting up great numbers in their respective leagues (Bourque – QMJHL, Stepan – NCAA). Personally, I’m very high on Stepan, and can’t wait until he (and teammate Ryan McDonagh) comes to play for the Rangers.
Derek Stepan, the Rangers second round pick in 2008, looks to be regaining his scoring ways for the Wisconsin Badgers. After a slow start, Stepan has put together a line of 2-5-7 and a +3 in 4 GP. Stepan caught people’s attention last season, his freshman year at Wisconsin, with his speed and scoring touch. He is quickly rising through the ranks of Ranger prospects.
Canadian Juniors:
- Ethan Werek; Kingston Frontenacs, OHL: 26 GP, 15G, 16A, 32 PIM, +9
- Chris Doyle; PEI Rocket, QMJHL: 25 GP, 11G, 14A, 31 PIM, -2
- Ryan Bourque; Quebec Remparts, QMJHL: 26GP, 12G, 15A, 12 PIM, +3
- Roman Horak; Chilliwack Bruins, WHL: 31 GP, 11G, 15A, 16 PIM, +7
- Sam Klassen; Saskatoon Blades, WHL: 25 GP, 3G, 10A, 45 PIM, +19
- Tomas Kundratek; Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL: 24 GP, 1G, 13A, 19 PIM, -3
NCAA:
- Ryan McDonagh; Wisconsin: 14 GP, 1G, 7A, 31 PIM, +7
- Derek Stepan; Wisconsin: 14 GP, 5G, 10A, 6 PIM, +3
- Chris Kreider; Boston College: 10 GP, 2G, 3A, 2 PIM, +3
- Carl Hagelin; Michigan: 14 GP, 7G, 5A, 16 PIM, +4
International:
- Roman Psurny; HC Slovan Ustecti Lvi, CZ 1.Liga: 21 GP, 8G, 13A, 12 PIM, +16
AHL:
- Bobby Sanguinetti: 21 GP, 6G, 16A, 10 PIM, +4
- Evgeny Grachev: 24 GP, 6G, 9A, 4 PIM, -2
- Ilkka Heikkenin: 24 GP, 5G, 11A, 8 PIM, +6
- Chad Johnson: 10-6-1, 2.10 GAA, .926 SV%, 3 SO
The Rangers have a very deep farm system, filled with great talent with great potential. USA Hockey has recognized this talent, and several Ranger prospects have been selected to the preliminary 29 player roster. The roster will be reduced in size prior to the IIHF World Junior Championship from December 26-Jan 5. The notable Ranger prospects included on the roster:
- Chris Kreider (1st round, 2009)
- Ryan Bourque (3rd round, 2009)
- Derek Stepan (2nd round, 2008)
- Luke Walker (undrafted free agent
The interesting thing here is that they are all forwards. The Rangers excel in defensive prospects, such as Ryan McDonagh, but seeing as how the rest of them play professional hockey in some sense (NHL/AHL), no Ranger defensive prospects were taken.
The Rangers have done very well in the draft the past few seasons, and have done well with undrafted free agents as well. Kudos to the scouts for finding these guys.
I’m still in LA, and still with limited access to the internet. Luckily, there hasn’t been much going on in Ranger land other than the Zherdev to the KHL rumors.
In promising news, all three Ranger prospects made the cut for the US National Team (Chris Kreider, Ryan Bourque, Derek Stepan). Both Bourque and Stepan contributed points (1 G and 1 A respectively) in the US’ dominating win over Russia, 8-1.
It is good to see the prospects contributing on their level, and we should hope their development continues.
Stepan is going to be gold.
International Hockey | Dave, 6 Jan 10 | 
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